Review by Love_Good_Books -- Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
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Review by Love_Good_Books -- Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
[Following is a volunteer review of "Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks" by Morton E Tavel, MD.]
3 out of 4 stars
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Review of Tips, Myths, and Tricks: A Physician’s Advice
Health information to liberate us from “Snake Oil”
by Morton E. Tavel, MD
(2015)
The author, Dr. Morton Tavel, is an internist/cardiologist. This book is written in clear language for the layperson and covers a wide variety of topics. The “Tips” section includes chapters on weight loss, nutrition, hypertension, sleep, exercise, and pain, among others. The “Myths” and “Tricks” sections address attitudes, approaches, and products which, in Dr. Tavel’s judgment, are either unproven, ineffective, or actually harmful. Generally, anything not approved by a government agency or published in a refereed journal accepted as valid by conventional Western medicine has been placed in these last two sections. Examples of the subjects covered in these sections include opposition to genetically modified foods, concerns about vaccine safety, nutritional supplements, and chiropractic care.
My own background is in chemical engineering and in education. I have no formal training in any area of medicine. I am deeply interested in medicine and consume educational materials such as this book to educate myself.
There were several things I liked about Tips, Myths, and Tricks: A Physician’s Advice. It takes a broad look at many everyday practices and choices which an individual can take control of to improve one’s own health. In the chapters on nutrition, detailed nutritional analysis numbers are included, which helps the reader make informed decisions. Chapter 36, which discussed the health food claims on fortified food products, was especially enlightening to me. There are 99 footnotes in this book referring readers to published articles in medical journals, websites, or other books. Quite frankly, some of the information in the book was well-documented enough to change my own opinion on those topics. Also, I appreciated the several instances where Dr. Tavel mentions organizations the reader can consult for further information on a particular topic.
What I did not enjoy about this book were the many statements of “fact” with no documentation. While I have no doubt Dr. Tavel could supply numerous articles, etc. as documentation, such support for his statements (some of which are on the strongly-worded, controversial side) is not included in this particular book.
In addition to medical facts and opinion, Dr. Tavel’s philosophical and political opinions are sprinkled throughout the book. For example, on page 161, Dr. Tavel concludes his chapter on genetically modified organisms with the following statement:
“Irrational opposition to these products is likely being propagated by the same individuals who deny, among others, global warming and evolution.”
This is a generalization which is no doubt true for some, but certainly not all, of those who oppose GMOs. It struck me as odd to find such a statement in a tome purporting to separate fact from fiction.
Dr. Tavel writes from the perspective of a physician who practices conventional Western medicine. He disparages, in no uncertain terms, the practitioners of alternative medicine, such as naturopaths, chiropractors, and herbalists. The objection is based in part on Dr. Tavel’s view that these practitioners are relatively unregulated compared with conventional doctors. Yet, on page 275, Dr. Tavel decries the fact that the federal government has begun licensing alternative practitioners. Presumably, a license would not be issued without the practitioner meeting certain requirements, which would seem to alleviate at least one of the objections Dr. Tavel holds against alternative medicine; yet Dr. Tavel is opposed on the grounds that such licensing lends an undeserved air of credibility.
On the other hand, Dr. Tavel is quite willing to identify ways in which conventional medicine can improve. Traditions in Western medicine, such as the annual checkup, are re-evaluated regarding efficacy. Also, Dr. Tavel attacks the aggressive marketing by commercial pharmaceutical companies selling FDA-approved drugs with the same vigor (if not the same word count) he uses for the unregulated supplement industry.
Most people who are interested in beginning to learn how to improve their own health will enjoy perusing this book. Those who are seeking information regarding a particular topic can easily find the appropriate chapter. The chapters are short, so readers who do not wish to wade through peripheral information are not confronted with that problem. Readers who are looking for an in-depth, scholarly work may find this book a little disappointing. Those who are strong advocates of alternative medicine may not enjoy this book at all.
Unfortunately, the text included a variety of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling errors. I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. If fractional ratings were possible, I would give this book a 2.5, primarily because of the lack of documentation for controversial assertions.
******
Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
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3 out of 4 stars
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Review of Tips, Myths, and Tricks: A Physician’s Advice
Health information to liberate us from “Snake Oil”
by Morton E. Tavel, MD
(2015)
The author, Dr. Morton Tavel, is an internist/cardiologist. This book is written in clear language for the layperson and covers a wide variety of topics. The “Tips” section includes chapters on weight loss, nutrition, hypertension, sleep, exercise, and pain, among others. The “Myths” and “Tricks” sections address attitudes, approaches, and products which, in Dr. Tavel’s judgment, are either unproven, ineffective, or actually harmful. Generally, anything not approved by a government agency or published in a refereed journal accepted as valid by conventional Western medicine has been placed in these last two sections. Examples of the subjects covered in these sections include opposition to genetically modified foods, concerns about vaccine safety, nutritional supplements, and chiropractic care.
My own background is in chemical engineering and in education. I have no formal training in any area of medicine. I am deeply interested in medicine and consume educational materials such as this book to educate myself.
There were several things I liked about Tips, Myths, and Tricks: A Physician’s Advice. It takes a broad look at many everyday practices and choices which an individual can take control of to improve one’s own health. In the chapters on nutrition, detailed nutritional analysis numbers are included, which helps the reader make informed decisions. Chapter 36, which discussed the health food claims on fortified food products, was especially enlightening to me. There are 99 footnotes in this book referring readers to published articles in medical journals, websites, or other books. Quite frankly, some of the information in the book was well-documented enough to change my own opinion on those topics. Also, I appreciated the several instances where Dr. Tavel mentions organizations the reader can consult for further information on a particular topic.
What I did not enjoy about this book were the many statements of “fact” with no documentation. While I have no doubt Dr. Tavel could supply numerous articles, etc. as documentation, such support for his statements (some of which are on the strongly-worded, controversial side) is not included in this particular book.
In addition to medical facts and opinion, Dr. Tavel’s philosophical and political opinions are sprinkled throughout the book. For example, on page 161, Dr. Tavel concludes his chapter on genetically modified organisms with the following statement:
“Irrational opposition to these products is likely being propagated by the same individuals who deny, among others, global warming and evolution.”
This is a generalization which is no doubt true for some, but certainly not all, of those who oppose GMOs. It struck me as odd to find such a statement in a tome purporting to separate fact from fiction.
Dr. Tavel writes from the perspective of a physician who practices conventional Western medicine. He disparages, in no uncertain terms, the practitioners of alternative medicine, such as naturopaths, chiropractors, and herbalists. The objection is based in part on Dr. Tavel’s view that these practitioners are relatively unregulated compared with conventional doctors. Yet, on page 275, Dr. Tavel decries the fact that the federal government has begun licensing alternative practitioners. Presumably, a license would not be issued without the practitioner meeting certain requirements, which would seem to alleviate at least one of the objections Dr. Tavel holds against alternative medicine; yet Dr. Tavel is opposed on the grounds that such licensing lends an undeserved air of credibility.
On the other hand, Dr. Tavel is quite willing to identify ways in which conventional medicine can improve. Traditions in Western medicine, such as the annual checkup, are re-evaluated regarding efficacy. Also, Dr. Tavel attacks the aggressive marketing by commercial pharmaceutical companies selling FDA-approved drugs with the same vigor (if not the same word count) he uses for the unregulated supplement industry.
Most people who are interested in beginning to learn how to improve their own health will enjoy perusing this book. Those who are seeking information regarding a particular topic can easily find the appropriate chapter. The chapters are short, so readers who do not wish to wade through peripheral information are not confronted with that problem. Readers who are looking for an in-depth, scholarly work may find this book a little disappointing. Those who are strong advocates of alternative medicine may not enjoy this book at all.
Unfortunately, the text included a variety of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling errors. I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. If fractional ratings were possible, I would give this book a 2.5, primarily because of the lack of documentation for controversial assertions.
******
Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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